Mechanical toy vehicle



March 31, 1925. v. BuRpr MECHANICAL TOY VEHICLE Filed Sept. 12. 1925 2Sheets-Sheo t 1 INVENTQR March 31, 1925.

- v. BURDI MECHANICAL TOY VEHICLE Filed Sept- 12. 1925 2 shuts-5216a 2 INVEYNTOR 77W ORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1 925.

UNITED STATES 1,531,271 PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT BURDI, OF NEW YORK, N. .Y.

MECHANICAL TOY vnrnonn.

Application filed September 12, 1923. Serial No. 6%,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VINCENT Boner, a subject of the King of Italy, and residentof the borough of Bronx, co'unty of Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain "new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Toy Vehicles, of which the following is the specification.

The device, thesubjeot of this invei'ition is a toy vehicle, shapedas a hobby horse, adapted to carry a rider and propelled by the rider withapproximately the same motion as is obtained by rowing.

The device then serves, not only as a vmeans of locomotion, but also as a means of obtaining and promoting exercise of practically all parts of-the body.

A principal object of the invention then,

i may be considered thatof promoting err-- erci'se and making the exercise attractive.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of the nature set forth, that will not only be simple in construction and operation, but will be so constructed and designed that there will be the fewest possible number of parts arid all of the parts will be so designed and proportioned that even should they become worn or broken, replacements or repairs may be readily made at a minimum of expense. 7

The following is what I consider the best. means of carrying out this invention and the accompanying drawings should be referred to for a complete understanding of the specification which follows.

In the drawings z- I Fig. 1, shows the device in operation.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged detail, partly in section and shows the driving mechanism.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal, sectional view, the section being taken approximately upon the central line through the device.

Fig. 4, is a sectional view on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 3 of the driving mechanism and the tractor wheel mountings.

Fig. 5, is a viewinelevation, partly in section, of the steering mechanism.

Fig. 6, is a perspective view upon an enlarged scale and shows a lever construction.-

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear. At. 1, I show the body of the device which I prefer should be shaped as an animal and in the drawings, I have shown a figure of a horse, with the legs 2 and 3 extended, as in member 10, is a shaft or pin running. I The figure should be provided with a saddle t and a head stall or bridle 5, of which member havingthe appearance of a bit, but which I will refer to as a lever device, forms a part.

Theiigure 1, is supported upon a plurality of wheels of which there should be three as indicated at 6, 7 and S. 'Thewheel 8 is of smaller diameterthan the wheels 6 and 7 and while the wheels 6 and 7 are outside of the line of the'iigure, the wheel 8 may be directly under he body of the figure.

The wheel 8 is supported upon the stem 9, which may be curved inward as shown at 10 and the stem 9 is pivot-ally supported in a bracket 11 and upon a member 12, adjacent to which a flange 13 is arranged, the flange being secured upon the stem 9.

Projecting through the stem 9 and at a point adjacent to the forked and curved 1;, provided with foot rests as shown at 1.5 and 16, adapted to receive the feet of the operator and by pressing forward either foot rest, the position of the wheel 8 is changed. and the course of the vehicle controlled.

Extending through the back legs ofthe figure and through thimbles or hearing membersl'. and 18, secured therein, is a shaft 19 upon which is secured the hubs 20 and 21 of the wheels 6 and 7. The hubs may be secured by means of pins, one of which is shown at 22 andnuts 23 and 24; may also be provided, to preventthedis placement of the wheels. .Upon the shaft 19 and approximately midlengt-h thereof, I secure a ratchet or driving member as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:. The driving member consists of a ratchet wheel 25 secured to the shaft 19 by a spline or key 26, or by anyother suitable means, the ratchet wheel 25 being provided with. any desired number of teeth.

Exterior of the ratchet wheel 25 is a drum formed of two parts, 27 and 28, the parts being secured together in any suitable manner and loosely mounted upon the shaft. The drum is provided with a cable groove 29 in which is secured the flexible member 16 which will again be referred to.

Each section, 27 and 28 of the drum member is provided with a hub portionas shown at 30 and 31, the hub portions beingrotatably mounted upon the shaft 19 and free to move thereon as required. The hubs may be retained in proper position by collars as shown at 32 and 33, the collars being pinned or otherwise secured to the shaft 19.

lVithin the drum and pivoted therein is a ratchet or pawl 34, retained in flexible engagement with the ratchet wheel by means of a spring 35. A rather long and strong spring 36, has one of its ends secured in the periphery of the drum, and its other ends permanently secured to the under part of the figure as'indicated at 37.

T he cable 46 extends through the body of the figure, from an idler wheel 38, arranged at a convenient place, probably in the neck of the figure and is secured to the upwardly projecting member 39 of the lever mechanism, before referred to and now described in detail.

The bar 40 of the lever member extends through the mouth of the figure and at each end of the bardO, depending links 411 and 42 are secured. The flexible members +23 and at having the appearance of driving reins are secured, one to each of the depending members t1 and -12.

The operation of the device can be understood from Fig. 1 and is as follows The rider straddling the figure, places one foot upon each. of the foot rests 15 and 16 and grasping the reins a3 and 44 in the hands, pulls the reins backward by a movement of the arms or body or both and thereupon the members ll and t2 are pulled backward, and the member 39 moved forward as the shaft 10 is partially rotated. The flexible member 46 partially rotates the drum 272S, the pawl 34 engaging a tooth of the ratchet wheel 25, partially rotates this'wheel and the shaft 19 and wheels 6 and 7.

When the full extent of the backward motion is urged, the rider moves the arms and body or both the arms and body forward allowing the spring 36 to return the drum 27-28 to their original position, taking up the flexible member 46 and partially rotating the shaft 10 and the links attached thereto, whereupon a repetition of the backward movement of the rider will again partially rotate the traction wheels 6 and 7. The steering of the device is accomplished in the manner previously described.

As before stated, the body of the device may be made to simulate any animal, and it may be made of any size. A. stop 15 may be provided to limit the movement of the shaft 10 and other modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claim,

without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

laving carefully and fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to obtain is Y A mechanical toy vehicle comprising a figure simulating an animal, traction wheels having a shaft extending through the legs of said figure at a point adjacent the body thereof, a steering wheel of s ialler diame ter than said traction wheels and arranged under the body of said figure and between though independent of the legs thereof and having a supporting pin entering the body of said figure, a bar connected to the steering wheel and having foot rests thereon, means for rotating the traction wheels, said means comprising a drum on said shaft, a pawl and ratchet wheel within said drum, a flexible member upon said drum, resilient means connected to said drum for operating it in one direction, a second shaft journaled in the figure, arms on the second shaft, a plurality of flexible members secured to the arms for use by the rider in imparting motion to the drum, and a flexible connection between the second shaft and the drum.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, bills 28 day of August, 1923.

VINCENT BURDI. 

